i am experiencing clunky front end noises on my high mileage 03 LS. i looked under the car and i see the rubber is torn on the control arm bushing:

could this account for clunking noises heard and felt over rough road? does anyone know of this is an easy job to DIY and how expensive it is to fix? i may also need struts or shocks in the front? which ones do our cars use?

Does it only make the sounds while driving? Does it do it when you wiggle the steering wheel around while parked? To check your joints jack up the front, try moving the tire side to side (as if you're steering it left/right). It should have a little play, but if its really moving and clunking its bad. Also stick a bar or piece of wood under the tire while its up, and try moving the wheel up and down. It shouldn't have any play, or make any sounds. If these things check out ok, then its probably the shocks/struts.

The same bushings tore on my car as well. They didn't make any noise until I replaced my front struts, then there would be a loud clunk when going over rough pavement/gravel or small potholes in the road. The bushing was so bad that it was wearing out a groove on the control arm.

My dad and I replaced the right front bushing ourselves, but as usual he didn't want to do both in the same day. It's been 2 years now and still not replaced.. my car actually just failed inspection tonight because of the left front bushing that was bad. Midas charged $22.99 for the bushing and $32.50 for labor, so it can be replaced without the entire control arm having to be replaced. I should also mention that whatever shop you take it to will also probably want you to get an alignment after replacing the bushing. As for how hard it is to do yourself.. it wasn't too bad for my dad, but I think he kinda cheated. Instead of taking off the control arm, he just used an impact wrench (I think that's what it's called) and a chisel-type attachment to just.. destroy the bushing to the point that it could be hammered out. Then a new one just kinda gets tapped/pushed in. NAPA didn't charge much for the bushing itself.. I think around $12.49.

My struts were also bad around this mileage though (89,000) so you might want to check those too, as krammit suggested.

My passenger side control arm bushings and bolt was gone!!!!!!!!!!
Seems weird.....It was when i did the head gaskets when i got under my car to undo the exhaust pipe to the rear manifold that i noticed it.....Got the part from autozone for around 10 bucks......bought 2 since i figured i would do the other side as well......Well......could not get the nuts and bolts to break loose so I am watching it closely.....a slight clunking and crunching noise is coming from that side of the car......I have access to an impact now so i might try to impact.....I used a wrench and a ratchet with a cheater bar and it did not move......Impact is my next option and my only option.....as of now.......got a new jack that gives me ground clearance in one pump so..........yea for tomorrow!

Instead of taking off the control arm, he just used an impact wrench (I think that's what it's called) and a chisel-type attachment to just.. destroy the bushing to the point that it could be hammered out.

I think you are referring to an air chisel. And child_of_fire, you can go into the parts store to see if they have a repair manual for your car, and they should let you thumb through it. Just check one out to see what is involved in replacing the bushing before you go in completely blind. It may seem like a simple job, but the repair manuals can uncover some hidden pitfalls to the job. And if you have the means, you might as well buy the manual. They are great to have.

Most of the time the manuals are sealed in plastic, so I wouldn't count on it. However, you might want to try autozone's website, they have some online manuals that are handy.

__________________
Everyone has a photographic memory; some just don't have film.
************************************************** ******************************
1994 Caprice
265/200hp
Bought with 44k original miles
Sewer Pipe Intake, installed
Jeggs Dual Exhaust
Next upgrades to be:
Shocks
More to come....

Most of the time the manuals are sealed in plastic, so I wouldn't count on it. However, you might want to try autozone's website, they have some online manuals that are handy.

Man, if that is the experience you have had with autozone, then that store has some real dicks working in it. We don't care if people open up our manuals to look through them, and we use them too if people ask where a part is and we can't pull ip a diagram on our computer. I am sorry to hear that some stores have customer service like that.

Man, if that is the experience you have had with autozone, then that store has some real dicks working in it. We don't care if people open up our manuals to look through them, and we use them too if people ask where a part is and we can't pull ip a diagram on our computer. I am sorry to hear that some stores have customer service like that.

Guess I misunnerstood ya Kingnutin! I worked at the Zone too, and we did that all the time! Most of our manuals were thumbed through and pages were covered in grease!
I guess it depends on where you go...

__________________
Everyone has a photographic memory; some just don't have film.
************************************************** ******************************
1994 Caprice
265/200hp
Bought with 44k original miles
Sewer Pipe Intake, installed
Jeggs Dual Exhaust
Next upgrades to be:
Shocks
More to come....